Brothers in Steel Chapter 2: Challenge

Fighting one of these aliens was one thing Chief had not expected. He feared no opponent, but he doubted his success. These things were stronger than him, he didn't know their weak spots, he didn't know their terms for victory, and he didn't have his MJOLNIR Armor. It was going to be tough but he was going to find a way to win. Or die trying.

The Arena was circular, and all the troops of the one named Wrex gathered around, jeering and waiting for what they thought would be the inevitable defeat of an insane human.

John got on one side of the arena, and Thurk got in the other. John was wearing the blue body suit that all Spartans wear into combat, while Thurk had decided to strip down completely other than a loin cloth. The idea of touching the thing was a little nauseating to the Chief, but he supposed that at least this wasn't a flood form.

John tried to remember what he learned about wrestling on Reach. Wrestling his other Spartans involved bringing them down to the mat and pinning down the opponent's shoulders and legs to the mat, and keeping them there for five seconds. He wondered what the aliens thought was sufficient for a wrestling match.

One alien, yelled loudly, his voice booming out for all to hear, "Alright, the rules are simple. The first opponent to have his arms pinned to the ground for more than five seconds, will be the loser, and the other will be the victor. All tactics are allowed except biting and eye gouging. Also if one of you leaves the arena, that one will be disqualified and eaten, regardless of race."

Wrex laughed, "We could be having you tonight Thurk."

"Heh." Said Thurk and locked eyes with John.

The Loud alien raised his arm up and said, "Let the fight begin."

John immediately decided to make his strategy to force Thurk outside the circle. Without his armor, he couldn't hope to over flip or pick up the alien, but maybe he could trip him and make him land outside the circle. John got into a back right stance, and put up his hands, ready to grapple. The Alien charged without any delay.

John barreled roll to the left, then quickly got up and crouched low.

Thurk had stopped himself before leaving the circle and then turned around and roared. Then he said, "Ah, so you are more nimble than I imagined."

"I've had practice," replied John.

"Good, like hunting Pyjaks."

Thurk charged again and this time John barreled roll to the side again but then jumped on the back of Thurk, who was set off balance for a second but recovered and decided to jump backwards and use his bony plated head to impale John. John realized this as he started to back off, but it was too late, and the head crashed into his chest with a thud.

The wind wasn't knocked out of John, he had taken similar hits, but it didn't feel good. The Alien got back up and then turned around and back slapped John who almost got sent outside the circle. Then Thurk ran at him again, roaring, and John knew exactly what to do. He slid to the ground and put his leg in front of the alien's foot. The sheer weight of the alien ensured that he would get some distance and half of his body landed outside the circle.

A bell rang.

Wrex laughed, and the rest were shocked. Thurk started to yell with savage barbarity and ran at John, charging full head into his chest, this time taking John's breath away. What happened next puzzled John. Wrex shot a blue wave of energy at Thurk who then bounced off John and into a wall. The other soldiers went up to Thurk and picked him up, saying, "Dinner! Dinner! Dinner!"

All left but Wrex, who then offered John his hand, pulling him up. He said, "to be honest, at first I was going to stop my men from eating Thurk, he's' pretty smart, I could use him. But he dishonored himself by attacking you after the contest was over. So tonight, you may join us in our feast if you wish, or you can take your armor and go."

"I think that will be good. I'm not sure about eating my enemies, but I suppose there's no other food elsewhere."

"Good," said Wrex.

John followed him and said bluntly, "What are you?"

"We? We are Krogan, the warriors of Tuchanka."

"Is Tuchanka this planet?"

"Yes, it is a barren nuclear wasteland, but we call it home."

"I see, what was the little magic trick you pulled."

"Biotics, I'm guessing you don't know what those are too."

"No, I'm a little hazy on that."

"Certain individuals can tap into sources of Dark Energy through implants in their body. Asari can do it naturally, but most others have to have had exposure to Element Zero in Gestation, or whatever they go through before birth. I got it in the latter method."

"Right, that would definitely have a practical use."

"Heh. I could tell you were a soldier, the way you think. So how about we eat Thurk, and then you can get your armor back?"

John nodded.

He led John to their camp, and he looked at the Forward Unto Dawn crashed in the Planet. It reminded him of the crash of the Pillar of Autumn that he saw on the First Halo ring. He wondered how long he had been dormant inside the Ship until these aliens came and got him. He hadn't been in Cyro, but soon he would talk to Cortana and maybe she could tell him something he didn't.

They gave him a bowl of Thurk. While eating his enemies was not something he wanted to do, it was indeed tasty.

After that, he walked up to where they were keeping his armor. It hadn't been damaged, thank God, but it seemed to look different to him. Maybe the rules of time and space were different or something, but it seemed more…round, if that was possible. He wondered why that was.

He put each part on, and then looked at the inside of his helmet. Then he slipped it on. He wondered how he was going to get his shields recharged, but seeing as they were fully charged now, he would worry about that later. He put it on and it turned on , giving him a full readout of his shield strength to the top. He was also out of dispensers of Bio Foam in his suit. That was going to be the biggest problem, because if he got injured, attacked by one of those monstrous Krogan he couldn't get wounded. He had to find out if they had any substances like it. He asked Wrex and Wrex said, "Krogan natural heal their organs over time, but most other races use medi-gel which is similar to your Biofoam."

"Civilians use medi-gel where I come from, but I'll have to find some."

"You'll need an omni-tool to dispense that."

"Omni Tool?"

"Yeah... I can't explain it, I'm sure that damned merchant back in the city can tell you how to get one. Pretty much all humans have one; I used to have one back when I was adventuring."

This was so much to take in, but Master Chief kept himself to speed. Now all he needed was Cortana. He hoped that removing her while his suit was deactivated wouldn't harm her in anyway. He didn't think he'd be able to survive long in this new galaxy without her help. Wrex handed John the chip with her intelligence on it, and he inserted it in the back of his helmet.

After a slight delay he heard her voice, "Chief, it's so good to see that you are alive."

"You too. You got any theories how we got here."

"The influx of energies in Slipspace must have ripped a hole in the space time continuum. This may be a wild guess..but…"

"Tell me. I need to know."

Wrex was looking from a distance, as were a couple other krogan. It appeared to them that the Chief was talking to himself.

"I think we may have gone to another dimension."

"Another Dimension?"

"Yes."

"You mean another plane of existence? But the Krogan mentioned Earth."

"Well, in an alternate dimension, everything would be the same, just there would be differences in who populated it. Laws of physics still apply here. But the problem is that there is a whole different schema of technology in this universe. I'm worried that we won't be able to find a way to charge your shields, and more importantly, I may be stuck in your suit forever."

"It could be possible. About my shields, well, I guess I will have to get used to it. Or maybe modify this armor with the technology in this universe. Or maybe get some new armor."

"But then I wouldn't have a home remember?"

"Right, well one problem at a time I guess."

He turned to Wrex, and said, "You got any idea where I should go to find some new armor."

"Heh, you can get armor anywhere, just not on Tuchanka, looks like you need to get off world. To the Citadel, is probably your best bet."

"The Citadel?"

"Right, I forgot you are supposedly ignorant to the functioning of our society, well the Citadel is the capital of the galaxy, and where you can get anything. Armor, guns, medi-gel, red sand, eezo, yeah all that good stuff. And seeing as you know how to handle yourself, you can probably become a mercenary, get hired by Aria, heard Cerberus took over her base."

"Alright, who would have transportation?"

"Ask the merchant, he's the only one who has got a ship. I have one, but I have no reason, and I can tell you are not looking for charity."

Cortana said only to chief, "It would sure as hell help."

Chief replied, "Yeah, I can handle it myself."

"Then I'll take you with us back to Urdnot in the truck. Think you can get that as another reward for the untimely death of Thurk."

"Right, sorry about that."

"Sorry? Don't be sorry, in our culture, we respect our enemies. Hell, our most hated ones are the ones that know our code, and we let them walk on our grounds."

John found this sort of logic a little comforting, they were a race that respected Strength.

If it was really true that he had been transported to another dimension, though, he would need to find a way to make sure that he could keep himself and Cortana alive. And since he was bound to bring attention to himself, he was going to have to become a civvie, walking around in his armor was sure to raise some eyebrows. But first he needed to find this merchant and get off planet. Then he would worry about surviving later. Secretly he hoped that there was something he could kill, because doing what he had been trained to do would offer a little comfort in an unfamiliar place.